


This Is My First Wedding (And I Hope It Passes Quick)

by Himmelreich



Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: Gen, Prompt Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-12
Updated: 2015-01-12
Packaged: 2018-03-07 07:09:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3165932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Himmelreich/pseuds/Himmelreich
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for a meme prompt on tumblr that requested "two miserable people meeting at a wedding au, Undertaker/Sebastian".</p><p> </p><p>  <i>„Do correct me if I am wrong, but I would dare say that when it comes to general courtesy and tact, a Shinigami attending a wedding is not exactly something you would welcome as a good omen.“</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	This Is My First Wedding (And I Hope It Passes Quick)

**Author's Note:**

> Given how much I love Kuro, it‘s actually amazing it took me until now to actually publish fic for it...

„Do correct me if I am wrong, but I would dare say that when it comes to general courtesy and tact, a Shinigami attending a wedding is not exactly something you would welcome as a good omen."

„Neither would be a Demon such as you, so aren‘t you calling the kettle black here, Mr Sebastian?“

„I for my part am a member of the groom‘s household and was explicitly invited, which is not something I could say about you, Undertaker.“

„Well, and I have been close friends with this family for three generations already, doesn‘t that alone warrant my presence?“

„I distinctly remember you almost killing the third generation heir of this very same family you‘re supposedly friends with in the recent past“, Sebastian said sweetly, feeling his eye twitch and a faint throb in the long since healed, invisible to the human eye scar where Undertaker‘s Death Scythe had ripped right through him once, nearly costing his life. „Multiple times, too.“

„Details, details“, Undertaker underlined his statement with a vague wave of his hand, the one that was not holding a crystal glass of expensive champagne reserved for the guests of honour as Sebastian noted with a frown.

 

„Since it is my Master‘s day of honour, I would rather not have to resort to violence here in the middle of the festivities, so may I ask you to kindly leave before he notices the presence of any uninvited guests?“, he sighed, even though in the hand he hid behind his back in a display of mock courtesy and form as a servant, he kept some of the sharp polished silver knives at the ready, just in case. They were standing at the far off side of the garden behind the estate where the pavilions and tables had been set up under a surprisingly sunny English summer sky, and with everyone else, Sebastian would not even have had any doubts regarding his abilities when it came to a quick and unnoticed disposal, but this Shinigami was on a whole different level than his mostly idiotic successors.

„And here I was hoping to be able to stay for dessert at least“, Undertaker combed his ridiculously long fringe back with his equally ridiculously long fingernails in a overly-dramatic gesture of defeat and shot Sebastian a look from these unsettling bi-coloured phosphorescing eyes that was speaking volumes of his amusement - on the Butler‘s cost. „The wedding cake especially looks a work of art - yours, I presume?“

Sebastian fought back the dawning memory of the long hours of discussion that cake design had brought him - the young as-of-today Lady Phantomhive and himself always had trouble finding a happy middle ground as to what amount of pink, frills, ribbons, roses and icing could still be considered sane, this cake had been no different - and merely gave a shrug. „If I could not prepare a cake such as this-“

„-how could you call yourself a Phantomhive Butler, yes, yes, I know.“

 

There was a beat of silence as Sebastian‘s smile grew just a tad bit icier, and Undertaker casually emptied his glass of champagne in one gulp and then held it out for the Butler to take, obviously enjoying their assigned roles as guest and servant.

„But in all honesty, it looks like the kind of fairytale wedding that everyone would wish to have - if one cared for such matters, that is.“

„Thank you for your praise“, Sebastian did not even bother trying to hide the sarcasm dripping from his words as he took the glass from Undertakers hand with a mock curtsey, „I never do things halfway, even if myself do not quite care for these events as much as humans do. I am honestly happy for my lord, though, as a devoted servant should be.“

„How unlike a demon, caring about someone‘s happiness so genuinely.“

 

There was a new, strange undertone to Undertaker‘s words at that, and he turned back to face the central white canvas pavilion across the garden, where, judging by the scraps of conversation and laughter carried over to where they were standing, Ciel‘s best man and brother-in-law had just gotten into a heated debate over what advantages and drawbacks Indian and English wedding dresses each held and what would become Elizabeth the best, while the groom himself was hogged by his over-emotional father-in-law who assured him repeatedly of his joy over the marriage. Sebastian tried to guess at Undertaker‘s thoughts, but the Shinigami‘s face was unreadable, even without the hair and fake profession getup obscuring it. While many of the lies and half-truths surrounding him had crumbled and faded away ever since he had revealed his true identity, Sebastian still could not truly understand what exactly was going on in the mind of this person. The way he looked at Ciel, however, had never changed, beneath laughter, taunting and threats, there had always been a certain fondness, which to some degree he also seemed to extend towards Sebastian himself as the protector and inseparable contractor to the young earl.

„Where happiness is, despair is soon to follow and fated to be all the more bitter, so of course I am genuinely concerned in this regard“, Sebastian finally stated smoothly, enjoying how his own words came as a stark contrast to all the white, ribbons, and saccharine sweetness of the festival surrounding them. From the outside, the two of them probably looked like an unfortunate pair of omnivorous ravens that had mistakenly ended up with a flock of useless white doves, keeping as much distance as possible, even though Sebastian did not doubted that it would be long before some incident or the other would require him to rejoin all the commotion.

 

Undertaker turned back towards him and smiled, kindly and almost patronisingly, obviously not believing a word of what Sebastian had just said.

„They are a curious bunch, the Phantomhives“, he mused, one of his hands seemingly subconsciously reaching out to where he had used to wear his chain of funeral lockets only to come up empty, hovering over the mere cloth for a few seconds before falling back to his side, „there is something about them that draws people in, even with all the misfortune surrounding this family. And not just any people, the most interesting kind, too.“

„True enough, not many people can probably pride themselves of all the best of royalty and all the worst of the London Underworld attending their wedding together without it ending in catastrophe“, Sebastian agreed. In fact, he almost expected the catastrophe to still occur and was prepared to intervene in whatever fight might break out between the very varied guests attending.

„Not to mention a Shinigami and Demon attending the same wedding, too.“

„That is probably a first in history, yes.“ Sebastian wondered if this was the point where he should loop back to the fact that this Shinigami had in fact not been invited and should leave the premises instantly, but before he had made up his mind, Undertaker spoke again.

„You know, I have to say it was quite the interesting experience to get to know one of your kind like this, I have to thank Ciel for that. You have proved to be far more  _entertaining_ than the lectures of the Shingami Dispatch Society would make you expect.“ He sounded weirdly self-satisfied with that statement and looked at Sebastian as if he expected thanks for this oddly phrased compliment.

„I wish I could say the same about getting to know your kind“, he replied instead, „but I really can‘t, remembering the other individuals of your society I have met during my time as Sebastian Michaelis.“

There was a positively predatory gleam to Undertaker‘s slightly narrowed eyes at that moment as he took one step closer to Sebastian and tapped the end of one long, black fingernail slightly on the immaculate silk of his waistcoat, the exact spot where a certain Death Scythe had once ripped through.

„Oh, you do not seriously want to throw me together with that lot of fools that simply, do you?“

Sebastian briefly wondered if he might be fast enough to stab Undertaker‘s hand before it retreated, but then decided against trying it, ignoring the mental echo of pain in his chest and giving Undertaker one of his usual unmeaning dazzling smiles.

„Certainly, you are much more competent.“

 

Undertaker just laughed at that, finally retreating his hand and shaking his head, long hair falling out of place into his face, and for the first time Sebastian could sort of understand Marquess Midford‘s impulse to comb other people‘s hair back, even though he obviously did not intend to act on it.

„Well, being remembered for my competence is one thing, I guess, though I had hoped you might remember me for something more worthwhile.“

„That is because your priorities in that regard are skewed“, Sebastian retorted dryly, but Undertaker just shrugged.

„Take it from a God of Death that the point of life is simply enjoying it, Mr Sebastian, so that is what I value the highest. I would never have expected that I might have to explain this concept to a purely hedonistic creature as a demon, but I suppose in the end you are of the weird kind that agrees to a contract forcing you into submission for years out of your own free will, while I am of the kind that cuts all ties to be able to do as I please. Quite different indeed.“

„It is surely a different form of enjoyment, but I do not regret my choice, if that is, what you mean. My current game against the Young Master is its very own brand of enjoyable, but I suppose that is not something you as a Shingami can relate to.“

„Suit yourself“, Undertaker sighed, sidestepping past Sebastian and resting his clawed hand on his shoulder seemingly en passant. „Still, once you have finished playing this particular game, you should go and give my life philosophy a try, I‘m almost certain you would enjoy it.“

„Is that an invitation?“ Sebastian asked in humour, but Undertaker just chuckled and closed his eyes.

„Sure, if you are ever bored by this world, come find me and I shall be happy to keep you company, no matter if you will be Sebastian Michaelis by that point or someone else entirely. I promise there would not be lack of entertainment, there never is.“

„I shall keep that offer in mind, then, thank you.“

Undertaker hummed in approval and gave Sebastian‘s shoulder a final pat before starting to walk towards the garden exit.

„Do give my kind regards to the newlywed couple, will you?“ he called from over his shoulder from a few metres away.

„I most definitely shall not“, Sebastian replied with a smile, watching Undertaker simply laugh and waving goodbye before vanishing behind a line of trees at the far end of the park.

 

For a few moments longer, Sebastian remained where he was, enjoying the relative peace and quiet that was so rare if one was member of both one of the most chaotic households and one of the most ruthless Underworld frequenters. It definitely was not the most relaxing or entertaining position, in that he agreed with Undertaker, and yet, looking back on all the experiences and memories of his current life, he did not at all regret his decision, either.

„Maybe next time, then“, he said to no-one but himself, noticing that he still held on to the empty glass he had been handed with sudden irritation. „If you are still alive by then, that is.“


End file.
